The term cup is intended to refer to a drinking receptacle which is cylindrical or slightly widened, generally without a handle and without a stand. However, the cup holder according to the invention is capable of receiving receptacles of any shape which may or may not be provided with a handle or a stand.
Cup holders 1 are known, as illustrated in section in FIG. 1, comprising a drawer 2 which is capable of sliding inside a body 3 so as to move from a closed position in which the drawer 2 is retracted inside the body to an open position in which the drawer 2 is at least partially extended from the body 3 in order to receive a receptacle. Furthermore, a substantially planar front 4 which forms an angle with the extension plane of the drawer 2 provides the finishing of the cup holder.
In an open position, the drawer 2 has a portion 2.1 which has a length L1 in the state extended from the drawer which receives the receptacle and a portion 2.2 which has a length L2 and which is engaged inside the body 3.
The extended portion 2.1 must be sufficiently long to receive cups of any size. It generally has a length L1 of approximately 150 mm whilst the engaged portion 2.2 must be sufficiently large to limit overhang between the portions 2.1 and 2.2 and therefore has a minimum length L2 of approximately 40 mm. Since the length of the body 3 is substantially equal to the total of the lengths L1 and L2, it is a minimum of 190 mm.
Current vehicles do not have a space with a sufficient length in the central zones 8 of the dashboards to receive cup holders of this length. The space available in terms of the depth of the central zones 8 is very limited owing to the numerous architecture elements, such as electrical cables, which extend through this zone and prevent the introduction of cup holders.